ABSTRACT
The transition to and through college can affect the mental health of college students. The situation in medical students is particularly worrisome, considering that they have high rates of psychopathology. These mental health problems can be associated with worse academic and professional outcomes and worse patient care. In this scenario, it is relevant to look at how this problem can be addressed considering variables of both mental health and educational systems in medicine. Therefore, initiatives to promote well-being during the career are proposed. The importance of well-being at an institutional level should be defined. Also, the foundations of learning neurosciences from the point of view of well-being should be incorporated. Considering that well-being goes beyond the absence of discomfort, the role of educational environment both in learning and in mental health should be recognized. Proven effective interventions should be incorporated. It must be considered that not every initiative linked to well-being is necessarily positive and that discomfort to a certain extent can be exploited educatively as well. The well-being of medical students is a complex, dynamic and multidimensional issue. These principles are orientations for different actors of the educational process, to define how they will approach this problem in their contexts.
Subject(s)
Humans , Students, Medical , Neurosciences/education , Education, Medical , LearningABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic generated a profound impact on people's health, emphasizing the relevance of healthy lifestyles. Recommendations on how to maintain adequate physical activity, diet, sleep and social connection have been issued. However, it is worth expanding our look to other possible elements related to lifestyles such as the relationship with technology, nature, pets and music. These areas should be included in the assessment and intervention from this perspective. To achieve changes, the values, beliefs, intentions, motivations, risk/benefit balances, capacity for self-regulation, previous history of changes and the person's sense of competence in relation to the possible changes that are being suggested, should be assessed. Individualized and contextualized suggestions that increase the intention of change should be made, avoiding confrontation and generalizations. Although there are still areas of uncertainty in this approach, particularly in relation to dosage and mechanisms of action, its development should be encouraged, given its great potential in terms of cost-effectiveness.